Environmental Assessment
Volume E-5.3
Tailings Facility
Land Use
Ambatovy Project
206
January 2006
5.3
LAND USE
5.3.1
Introduction
This section presents the Environmental Assessment for the effects of the tailings
facility on land use. As per the Ambatovy Project (the project) terms of
reference, land use has been mapped in the tailings facility local study area
(LSA) and changes in land use areas predicted in comparison to baseline levels.
The implications of changes in land use for people are discussed in the context of
socioeconomic effects in Volume E, Section 5.1.
5.3.2
Study Area
The tailings facility LSA is one-third of the Toamasina terrestrial LSA shown in
Volume A, Section 7.2, Figure 7.2-3. This area includes the tailings facility
property, the access corridor from the main highway to the tailings facility, and a
500 m buffer around both of these areas. The specific boundaries of the tailings
facility LSA are presented in Figure 5.3-1.
5.3.3
Baseline Summary
Most of the tailings facility LSA is usable for tavy agriculture, but is not
occupied by any specific land use (Volume K, Appendix 3.1, Section 3.5.1).
Portions of the wide valley floors within, and downstream of the LSA have been
developed into rice paddies. Homes and villages are located both in and
downstream of the tailings facility, primarily within a short distance of the access
route (ridge road) into the area.
In addition to eucalyptus woodlots, forest plots in the LSA include mango,
litchis, coconut, banana, jack fruit, bread fruit, orange and clove trees. The
ravenala trees that grow throughout the region are also of value for house
construction.
A power line right-of-way (RoW) also crosses the tailings facility area, and a
disused rock quarry is located at the west end of the ridge road traversing the
area.
